Page 69 of Heartless Legacy

Am I running from the sight of my boyfriend cooking in the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants? And I do meannothing, since I can tell he’s commando underneath. Yes. Yes, I am.

Am I breaking my own heart by doing it? The answer to that is also yes. I don’t know how to work through it. How to get past it. I don’t know why fighting for my survival every day in that hell hole is affecting me differently than it did when I was fighting in Nags Creek. I’ve been through tough shit before and I should be able to move past this, just like I moved past my attack last year.

My attempts to ignore Wolfe faltered during dinner as he sat shirtless next to me. I was transfixed by his torso, as if I’d never seen a pair of pecs and abs before. He didn’t call me out on it, but I know all the extra stretches and flexes of his muscles were because I was shamelessly eye fucking him.

I followed the conversation we were having, so there’s that. Now we’re having dessert on the couch, and I’m telling him about my plan to retrieve my hidden challenge items.

“Do you think they’re still there?” He asks.

“I really don’t know. It’s possible, but it’s also possible that a Skullz looking for a hiding spot for their stash could have found them and kept them or pawned them off. Either way, I’ll have to get them back. I don’t wanna give the council another reason to dock me points.”

His lips close around the spoon filled with chocolate mousse. His eyes are closed as he licks it, swirling the tip of his tongue through the decadent treat the way he swirls it around my clit. There’s a trace amount on his bottom lip.

Operating on instinct, I lean forward, swiping it off with my tongue. I pull away, staring into his eyes, spotting the banked heat in them. He gives a slight shake to his head, but other than that, he doesn’t move.

He’s waiting on me. Giving me the choice to pull away or kiss him again. I choose the kiss, softly pressing my lips against his. I scoot closer, his tongue slips into my mouth, sliding against mine. He tastes like chocolate and wine. I lean backwards to lie on the couch, like the last time, and feel him settle between my legs.

With the weight of his body against mine, comes the dousing of the heat that was building. My hands go slack, my body taunt. He pulls back from the kiss and eases off of me, and asks, “In the mood to watch anything?”

I swallow thickly and nod. “Pick whatever you want.”

He settles into the corner of the couch, placing my feet in his lap. I’m grateful he doesn’t make a big deal about what just happened. My eyes grow heavy halfway through the action movie and I drift off to sleep, forcing myself to ignore the panic I felt when he pressed against me, and choosing to focus on how good it felt kissing him instead.

Chapter 43

Pax

“Why doesn’t anyone fucking respect my wishes around here?” Thea mutters when she’s a few feet away from me. “I thought I was clear the last time, Pax. I don’t want to see you or have anything to do with you.”

I don’t care that she doesn’t want to see me. I just needed to put my eyes on her to make sure she’s okay. And it turns out I need to hear the words. I need to hear her say she’s free, and not that she’s here under my father’s control.

“That’s kind of hard to do, since we’re in the same secret society. An organization that demands we interact with and form alliances with each other. ”

“If you’re here to explain the legacy rules again, like you did last year, don’t bother.”

“I just want to clear the air, Thea.”

“We did that the last time outside of my dorm.”

“No. We didn’t. You told me what you heard me say and accused me of being with Eloise all along.”

“And you didn’t deny any of it.”

“Some things shouldn’t need to be said, Thea.”

“And some things should never be said. But that didn’t stop you.” Shaking her head, she says, “I don’t wanna fight about this. I’ve already dealt with it.” The sides of her lips tip up. “And it turns out you were right. You’re not the only one who thinks the baby incubator angle was worth pursuing.”

“He touched you?” The words are out before I can stop them. My gaze drops to her stomach as my nightmare comes roaring back. A caustic sound rips the air out of my lungs and the rest of my heart out with it.

“He who? You gotta be more specific, Pax. I was touched a lot while I was locked away.”

No. Please, god, no. “My f-” Her eyes narrow into slits and I bite off the rest of the word. “My friends were worried about you.” I say, trying to cover my slip up. “You said you didn’t trust me to pick you up from jail, but why didn’t you call someone as soon as you were arrested?”

She’s still staring at my face, as if trying to read my mind. How I wish she could. “They don’t give phone calls to inmates who don’t exist.”

What does that even mean? “And you were in jail in Riverside County all this time? Since the day of your final semester challenge?”

I know what the council said. I know what she’s said, but the League of the Daggered Ravens has people in the judicial system. Wouldn’t they have been alerted to her arrest? Theonlyplace people go to disappear is Rockridge. That’s even more true now that people have actually disappeared from there.

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